Emakhulwini ayishumi nesihlanu eminyaka ngaphambili, umprofethi uMose wayenze izimangaliso ngamandla kaNkulunkulu, wahlukanisa ngisho noLwandle Olubomvu ukuze sonke isizwe sakwaIsrayeli sidlule emhlabathini owomile. Kodwa umprofethi omkhulu owenza izimangaliso kwaprofethwa ukuthi uyeza. UMose wathi ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa uNkulunkulu: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho uyakukuvusela umprofethi phakathi kwakho kubafowenu onjengami; nimlalele yena.” (Dut. 18:15) Ngakho-ke, ngekhulu lokuqala umbuzo wawuwukuthi: ‘Ingabe loJesu waseNazaretha ungumprofethi kaNkulunkulu okwabikezelwa ukuthi uyeza?’

Ngakho lapho labafundi ababili bakaJohane befika kuJesu benza isicelo sikaJohane kuye, ukulandisa kuthi: “Ngalowomzuzu [uJesu] yayiphulukisa abaningi ezifweni nasebuhlungwini nakomoya ababi; nezimpumputhe eziningi yazipha ukubona. Yaphendula, yathi kuwo: Hambani nimlandise uJohane lokho enikubonile nenikuzwile ukuthi: Izimpumputhe ziyabona, izinyonga ziyahamba, abanochoko bayahlanjululwa, izithulu ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, abampofu bayashunyayezwa ivangeli; ubusisiwe ongayikukhubeka ngami.”—Luka 7:20-23.

Ngokuqinisekile lombiko wawukhuthaza kuJohane. Wawuwubufakazi obuqinisayo bokuthi uJesu ngempela wayenza imisebenzi yamandla eyayizomchaza njengomprofethi owabikezelwa uMose. Kwakungakaze ngaphambili kube nokubonakaliswa okunjalo kwamandla ezimangaliso kumuntu! Ngakho uJohane, naphezu kokushiywa kwakhe etilongweni, wayenokuqiniseka kokuthi uJesu wayewukuphela komprofethi owagcwalisa lokho okwakubikezelwe uMose.